myHR Archives
myHR: January 27, 2016
Grocery Shopping with a Nutritionist in Your Corner
When Paul Kilbride signed up for nutrition counseling benefit, he expected to learn new ways of being healthy, but he didn’t expect for it to happen right in the grocery store.
“She met my wife and me at the store,” Kilbride says of the Registered Dietitian from Family Food, Penn’s nutrition counseling benefit provider.
“She walked through the grocery store with us as we shopped. It was a very educational experience,” Kilbride says. In about an hour, he and his wife learned what to look out for – like low-fat options that can be very high in sugar – how to substitute healthier options in snacks, and how to prepare meat and vegetables to make a meal healthier.
Kilbride, who is Director of Finance and Administrative Services in Business Services, first heard how he could work with a registered dietitian from a colleague who had taken advantage of the service, which is available to faculty and staff covered by one of Penn’s health insurance plans.
He decided to make an appointment when his doctor also suggested it. Kilbride’s biometric numbers, like cholesterol levels, weren’t bad, but his doctor felt they could be better. “He had other patients who’d had success working with a nutritionist, so I decided to give it a try. I wanted to see what I could do to be healthier,” Kilbride says.
Through the Penn nutrition counseling benefit, participants receive six free, individualized sessions per year with a registered dietitian. You can work directly with a Family Food dietitian to set a meeting time and location that’s convenient for you, such as your campus work location, your home, or even the grocery store.
Kilbride, who lives in Bucks County, opted to have the first two meetings with dietitian Emma Donnelly at home so that his wife could also participate. “Both my wife and I got insight into our eating habits, and right out of the gate Emma presented a healthy plate with portions control and food variety, I realized that wasn’t eating enough fruits and vegetables. That was one easy thing I could do right away to improve my health,” he says.
For their third meeting, Donelly suggested they meet at the grocery store. The idea of shopping with a dietitian might have made some nervous, but Kilbride says it was fun and insightful. “She didn’t give us drastic changes. Instead, she helped us make healthier versions of the things we like.”
Perhaps the biggest change for Kilbride has come at luncthtime. “Before, I would run on caffeine all morning, and then wait until 1pm or 2 pm to eat lunch. I would be so hungry that I would grab something fast and eat more than I should, and then my energy would be zapped. Now, I eat breakfast in the morning – with a little fruit – and bring my lunch, along with healthy snacks, like celery and fruit. That helps my energy stay steady for the whole day.”
Kilbride is looking forward to his next appointment. “I’m enjoying the experience. We learned some common-sense approaches to eating healthier, and I feel better because I’m doing something to improve my health and my family’s health as well.”
To sign up for Penn’s nutrition counseling benefit, visit Family Food’s website. For more information, email Chris Hyson, wellness specialist, at chyson@upenn.edu.
Note: Be in the Know participants earn 20 Bonus Action points for completing three nutrition counseling sessions with Family Food. See the Be in the Know Bonus Actions page for more information.
Workforce Problem-solving Techniques Every Manager Needs
Supervisors get to where they are because they like a challenge and effectively solve problems. Yet there’s one challenge that even the best managers may prefer to avoid – confronting an employee’s problem behavior. Whether it’s under-performance, recurring mistakes, or more extreme misbehavior, tackling such issues head-on can be intimidating.
What if you could get expert help with handling some of the toughest personnel challenges managers face? You can if you attend Dealing Effectively with Unacceptable Employee Behavior on February 26, 9am-4pm.
Register today to get practical tips and techniques for addressing the kind of behaviors that can short-circuit performance and deplete your entire team’s morale.
Any manager or supervisor can benefit from this training because you’ll learn skills to help you spot potential issues and resolve them before they become problems. During this interactive, engaging workshop, you’ll learn how to:
- Spot warning signs that a problem is brewing
- Act—and not react—in a negative situation
- Choose the right intervention technique
- Offer constructive feedback
- Set measurable performance standards and communicate them to your employees
As a supervisor, you are responsible for maintaining a respectful, professional environment, and this session will help you develop a constructive approach to coaching and counseling and formal discipline meetings.
Register on Knowledge Link. Your department will be charged $75 for this program.
Healthy Meals: White Bean and Turkey Chili
With quick and easy kitchen prep, this hearty turkey chili is guaranteed to keep you warm as temperatures drop.
Find the recipe here or send us your healthy recipes and tips.
Did You Know? Free Morning of Yoga and Meditation at the Palestra
On Friday, January 29, enjoy a morning of yoga and meditation at the Palestra. Sessions are free for Penn faculty, staff, and students. Pre-registration is not required, but please BYOYM – bring your own yoga mat! Be in the Know participants can sign the registration sheet at the door and receive 10 Bonus Action points.
Penn Perks Prize Drawing
As part of the Penn Community, faculty and staff can enjoy many extra benefits. Which Penn Perk is your favorite?
Complete this quick survey about Penn Perks for a chance to win a prize drawing.
